Tonko seeks Hudson-Mohawk River Commission

Looking to promote regional waterfront development and safeguard against natural crises like the catastrophic floods caused by Hurricane Irene last August, Rep. Paul Tonko has proposed the creation of a unified body to regulate the waters of the Hudson-Mohawk River Basin.

Introduced to Congress on June 7th, H.R. 5927, or the “Hudson-Mohawk River Basin Act of 2012,” would finance the creation and operation of a “Hudson-Mohawk River Basin Commission.” According to the bill’s language, the new body would identify projects related to flood control, energy production, and agriculture, along with those that promote regional history and economic development along the rivers.

At the crux of the bill is a $25 million annual appropriation to the Department of the Interior that would be used to finance the commission’s proposals. The money would be disbursed between 2014 and 2020.

The Hudson-Mohawk River Basin spans five states – New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont – and includes the Hudson, Mohawk, Passaic, and Raritan Rivers. The area is home to more than 15 million people.

Tonko’s bill awaits action by the House Committee on Natural Resources, of which Tonko is a member, and has also been referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Currently, the Hudson-Mohawk basin is under the jurisdiction of thousands of local groups and governments, and proponents of a regional body say the lack of cohesion has hindered basin-wide projects and policies.

Tonko was joined on Thursday by Carol Collier, executive director of the Delaware River Basin Commission, at the third annual Mighty Waters Conference at Union College in Schenectady. The DRBC, which became the first river basin agency to equally join state and federal government in 1961, has served as a model for newer regional agencies.

“The devastating flood events that occurred in many communities last year should compel us to rethink our connection to the rivers and tributaries throughout the region,” Tonko said in a statement. “We not only need to better adapt our infrastructure to be more resilient to floods, but we must also integrate improvements in water quality and wildlife habitats into our plans for the redevelopment of waterfronts.”